Your vehicleHome›Audi›Q3› 2016

Audi · Compact SUV

2016 Audi Q3

Gas

Compact Cars
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

87 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 3

Complaints1 crash · 1 fire reported 28

Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 23 mpg

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2016 Audi Q3 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Q3, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 28 complaints, most often about the electrical system.

Audi Q3 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Audi Q3 · Photo: Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Q3	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	20	28	23	$3,550
Q3 quattro	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	20	28	23	$3,550

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36399, 36400.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Q3, Q3 quattro	5–6 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-II ULEV	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

200 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain	AWD/All-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Premium Plus, Prestige, quattro Premium Plus, quattro Prestige). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	172.8 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.0 in
Height	63.4 in
Wheelbase	102.4 in
Track, front	61.8 in
Track, rear	62.2 in
Curb weight	3,494–3,682 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	58/42

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 5-door SUV 2.0 Tfsi FWD, 5-door SUV 2.0 Tfsi Quattro. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database

○minor

Exterior Lighting

97DK

23,241 vehicles 91% reported repaired

Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Audi Q3 vehicles equipped with LED headlights. An inoperable front turn signal may not illuminate an indicator, failing to alert the driver to the issue. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." Risk Without an indicator informing the driver of an inoperable turn signal, the driver may turn or change lanes without a signal, increasing the risk of crash. Fix Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module (BCM), free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 97DK.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V385000 reported May 23, 2019 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Exterior Lighting

45G6

24,754 vehicles 94% reported repaired built Feb 18, 2015 – Sep 16, 2016

Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Audi Q3 vehicles. If the parking brake is used during emergency braking, the brake lights on the vehicle will not activate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." Risk A vehicle approaching from behind may not have any warning that the vehicle is stopping, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Audi will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 45G6.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 17V400000 reported Jun 26, 2017 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

○minor

Electrical System

97CB

79,895 vehicles 95% reported repaired built Apr 14, 2014 – Jun 29, 2016

Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 TT roadster, A3 cabriolet, A3 sedan and A3 e-tron, 2016-2017 TT coupe, 2017 A4 sedan and Q7 and 2015-2017 Q3 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." Risk If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Audi will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97CB.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V642000 reported Sep 6, 2016 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Q3

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Audi publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Audi’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 Audi Q3, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

28complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2016: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 2

Most-cited components

Electrical System 10

Engine 7

Unspecified 3

Fuel/Propulsion System 3

Air Bags 3

Steering 2

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The vehicle emits a smell of fuel into the cabin of the car, and if the windows are up, this makes the driver sleepy and could cause a crash. It does not read fuel levels properly. The car has been taken to Butler, who said they could not find a problem.

Fuel/Propulsion System Dec 8, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11703719

In 4/2024 car wouldn’t start. Took to Audi for new battery and was told Water pump failed so it was replaced with delays. In 3/2025 noticed no heat and car took a long time to warm up. Took back to dealership replaced thermostat. Still no heat so I was told ok to drive but need to flush heater core to fix heat issue for $3500.

Electrical System Oct 16, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11693736

Owned car for 4 years. Car has a panoramic sunroof in two sections. rear section is glass and does not move. Front section is glass and does actuate. On . All was fine. Driving on smooth highway, [XXX (at XXX]. No other vehicles within site behind or in front around me). Sunroof was 100% closed the entire trip.

Structure Apr 16, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11655074

Had pistons and rings replaced by Audi dealership. After repairs were completed my car was burning through excessive amounts of oil. The engine seized while I was driving on highway. A replacement engine was installed after that by Audi. Now have clusters lights on dash after picking up car from the dealership.

Engine Feb 3, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11640285

My Audi Q3 was in repair at Audi Spokane WA for an issue with the steering wheel, horn and airbag. I had it inspected at a shop in Moscow ID who diagnosed the damage as the Wheel Clock Spring. Lux Auto Hause advised that I contact Audi Dealership and stated the clock spring is under warranty.

Air Bags Sep 2, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11612175

Drivers rear wishbone control arm has a baseball seize hole corrosion. Passenger rear wishbone has surface cracks. Significant safety consern if driver rear wishbone failed while driving . Dealer recommended not to drive vehicle replacement of the component is required

Suspension Jun 11, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11593745

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Audi itself: 3 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 3 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every Q3 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 40k

miles, typically

Half the 12 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 18,000 and 43,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 12 on file: 2 under 10k, 3 10k–20k, 1 20k–30k, 4 40k–50k, 1 50k–60k, 1 70k–80k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 633

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-25

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 628 service bulletins, 5 others

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Unknown Or Other, Structure.

TSB_2083409_1 Service bulletin
2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
TSB_2052680_2 Service bulletin
2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
TSB_2074846_5 Service bulletin
2026-09-22 · Steering
This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
TSB_2020552_15 Service bulletin
2026-09-22 · Visibility/Wiper
This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
TSB_2030471_9 Service bulletin
2026-09-15 · Unknown Or Other
This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.
SM 39-2026 Other
2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other
This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
TSB_2068999_5 Service bulletin
2026-09-08 · Structure — Body
This TSB describes a corrosion issue due to outside influence and the prohibition of warranty in these cases.
TSB_2051095_12 Service bulletin
2026-09-08 · Unknown Or Other
This bulletin provides infomraiton abou the Audi frequency analysis application, which is available in the App Store for Android and Apple phones.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P2015 P2015 on Audi →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	1 owner report

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 4.3%

failed emissions

637 initial inspections of 621 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 Q3	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	4.3%	4.2%	634
Failed the safety inspection	1.4%	2.2%	637
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.16%	0.27%	637
Miles driven a year	8,579	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	87,981	103,109	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Q3 by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 0 24 mpg 2026 A 1 6 25 mpg 2025 A 1 4 25 mpg 2024 B 2 18 25 mpg 2023 A 1 2 25 mpg 2022 C 5 34 26 mpg 2021 C 3 15 25 mpg 2020 C 3 66 22 mpg 2019 C 4 10 22 mpg 2018 A 1 26 23 mpg 2017 B 3 8 23 mpg 2016 this page B 3 28 23 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 Q3

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Audi Q3 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Audi Q3. The most serious on file is 17V400000, covering Exterior Lighting. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Audi Q3?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2016 Audi Q3 yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it B (87/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Audi Q3?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Audi Q3, the best EPA combined figure is 23 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Audi Q3?

Transport Canada measured it at 172.8 in long, 72.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 63.4 in tall, on a 102.4 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,494–3,682 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Audi Q3?

Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Audi Q3, most often about electrical system, engine, unspecified. Of those, 1 involved a crash, 1 a fire. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2016 Audi Q3?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Audi Q3 runs 5 to 6 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Bin 5, LEV-II ULEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Audi Q3?

The manufacturer has filed 633 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Audi Q3, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-09-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2016 Audi Q3 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Audi Q3 failed the emissions check on 4.3% of first inspections — close to the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.4% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	3	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	28	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	none	NHTSA NCAP	NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins	633	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	9 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API

2016 Audi Q3

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Engine Output

Fuel Economy

Transmission

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (3)

Exterior Lighting

Exterior Lighting

Electrical System

Whether any of this applies to one specific Q3

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2016 Audi Q3

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

When owners reported it

miles, typically

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

At the New York inspection station

failed emissions

Q3 by model year

Common questions about the 2016 Q3

Does the 2016 Audi Q3 have any recalls?

How safe is the 2016 Audi Q3?

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Audi Q3?

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Audi Q3?

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Audi Q3?

How clean is the 2016 Audi Q3?

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Audi Q3?

How does the 2016 Audi Q3 do at state inspection?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method